


As You Are (STILL ON HIATUS BUT NOT DEAD I PROMISE 💔)

by raccoonwrites



Category: Minecraft - Fandom, Minecraft Youtubers
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Blood God, Body Dysmorphia, Childhood Trauma, Comfort, Emotional Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Hidden Features AU (made by me), Insecurities, Loss, M/M, Manipulation, Slow Burn, Trauma, Updates every Friday/Saturday (or so I try to), self hatred
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:59:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26751721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raccoonwrites/pseuds/raccoonwrites
Summary: Everyone knows about Technoblade. A king of great importance, yet someone who leads such a secretive life. No one knows much about him. He's apathetic, he always speaks as though he's bored...no one can really figure him out.That is, at least, until a certain masked man manages to catch just a single glimpse into the king's life.Note: All ships in this are not irl ships. They're in regards to their personas exclusively. I do not condone irl ships, and I respect the boundaries that the ccs have asked for and all.Note #2: Technoblade only ever said shipping was cringe. Never said he was uncomfortable with it (and he's been direct with other things). If you have any evidence of him stating that he's uncomfortable with it that ISN'T the video where he says shipping is "kinda cringe, ngl", please direct me to it. But if that's your only evidence, please just leave/click away. Please. For the most part, this is self-indulgent, and if I could privatize this so only certain people could see it, I would. But I can't, and it's not like I'm writing smut. So please leave me alone. Thank you.
Relationships: Dream & Technoblade, Dream/Technoblade, Technodream, dreamnoblade
Comments: 184
Kudos: 1182





	1. Imperfect

**Author's Note:**

> Ahaaa I haven't written fanfics in a long *long* time, so my writing isn't gonna be very fluid or anything...but I hope to improve as I go along! Enjoy!
> 
> For references:  
> \- Tommy is 16, 6'3.  
> \- Sapnap is 19, 5'10.  
> \- Dream is 21, 6'3.  
> \- Technoblade is 21, 6'3.  
> \- George is 23, 5'9.  
> \- BBH is 25-ish (?), 5'9.  
> \- Philza is 32, 5'11.

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

_Click._

_Click click click click._

Along the halls of the palace, the soft clicking and tapping of heels could be heard. Light and swift at first, but growing quicker and heavier by the moment. Rushed, frenzied.

Techno was exhausted. He'd been in public all day, and he had to make it to his room. His hands trembled as he ran down the empty halls of his palace, darkness consuming everything in his wake, with only the moonlight peeking through the windows illuminating his path. The king forced himself to stay composed until he knew absolutely no one could see him.

Upon arriving at his door, he swung it open, pushed himself inside, then closed and locked it before allowing himself to fall to his knees and close his eyes.

That was the last time he'd let himself stay out later than he knew he could handle...

Pools of pink swirled down the king's head and down his shoulders, soft as silk and fine as string. As much of a hassle having so much hair was, it had its benefits...for one, he could hide or shield his face with it.

With shaky hands, Techno allowed himself to relax, no longer restraining himself or holding himself back. His pointed ears became no longer pointed and perky, but floppy and big, and from his mouth grew two tusks of about an inch in length. His entire composure collapsed.

Glancing up from the ground, he could see himself in his mirror. While you wouldn't think ears and tusks would make such a big difference, to him, the difference made him unrecognizable. Vile. He could handle having pointed ears, even having some scars showing since he had a lot of them, but the truth of his being was too painful to him.

He felt ruined. This was not what a king should look like. This...this was what someone would see as a peasant. A deformed man begging for scraps and money without shame. A king was supposed to look presentable. Approachable, even, to a certain extent. Hell, at least somewhat appealing. But the ears and tusks took that away from him. He knew that if anyone saw how he really looked like, he could end up ruined. Looking like this, he couldn't be taken seriously. He'd be laughed at, ridiculed, even associated with peasantry. He'd lose everything he'd worked so hard to get and build.

These were insecurities no longer. Not to him. Now, this could keep or destroy everything he had. No matter how exhausted he got, no matter how much he wanted to relax, he could never let his guard down. Not for a single second. Not with the risk of someone seeing. Of course, he could always just kill whoever saw him, but, as egotistical as he might've seemed, he knew he wasn't perfect...in fact, he knew he was far from it.

_Far...far from perfect._


	2. Together

_"Oh Georgeeee!!"_

The playfulness in Dream's voice drove George crazy. The insanity laced into it, the maniacal laughter- It made everything all the more terrifying.

"Dream, leave me alone!! Leave me alone!! Dream!! **DREAM**!!" George screamed as he forced himself to keep running away from the masked man, sword in hand. "Dream **please**! Give me a **break**! GIVE ME A-" Before he could finish, the male let out a loud scream, feeling a weight tackle him down.

Dream laughed hysterically as he pinned George to the ground, grabbing his sword and holding it over his head.

"You're **DEAD**!" he shouted.

_...bonk._

George huffed as he glared up at Dream, who merely had a wide grin on what was visible of his face. The male had his plastic sword resting over George's head.

"You're an idiot," George huffed as he swatted the sword away, then shoved the taller male off of him. "And get off!"

Dream simply laughed at the brunette's huffiness, letting himself collapse on the ground with a wide grin on his face, panting. "That was fun. We should do this again sometime," he said, looking up at the clouds in the blue sky above them. George merely rolled his eyes.

"It's not fun having to hear your maniacal giggling everywhere I go," the older male huffed, dusting his shirt off. "It's unnerving."

"Aw, come on. Don't be a sore loser," Dream mused, glancing over and reaching a hand to lightly punch his friend's arm.

"I am not a sore loser! You're just insane and...and creepy," George countered, swatting the man's hand away. He sighed, though, pushing his glasses back over the bridge of his nose. "But...that was a good game," he added, glancing over at the green man with a soft smile, to which Dream returned with a bright grin.

"GG, George. And hey, you managed to get farther ahead this time, so I'd definitely say you're getting better. I lost you a few times, and I usually never lose you that easily," Dream responded, lifting his back off the ground before scooting close to the nearby tree so that he could lean against it, next to George.

"I've watched how you do it and figured I'd try your tactics...maybe if I learned how you did things, I could have a chance. And, to be fair, it didn't disappoint," George said, which made both of them laugh a little.

"You're adorable," Dream playfully mused as he picked up a nearby flower, quietly examining it in his hand. He paused, then turned to face George and smiled a little as he glanced back down at it. "It's blue," he said softly. George's favorite color...and also the only one he could genuinely, truly see.

"A cornflower," George commented as he glanced down at the flower in Dream's hand, though paused when he saw his hands move. Carefully, Dream tucked the flower behind George's ear, then gave the male a soft smile, his blond hair moving along with the wind.

George was quiet as Dream placed the flower behind his ear, his brown eyes softening as he watched the male. As insane as he was sometimes...Dream was honestly nice to be around. He was funny, he cared a lot about him, he was respectful...what wasn't there to like about him? "Thank you," he said softly, quietly looking down at his own hands. It...it felt nice to have a friend.

"And hey, George?"

"Yeah, Dream?" George responded, glancing back at the blond male, just...watching him. Dream softened a little, then smiled some as he opened his arms and pulled the shorter of the two into a tight hug. "I'm really happy I met you," he said softly, holding the male closely.

Admittedly, George wasn't very fond of being affectionate in public, especially with Dream, but...he cared a lot about him. And hey, it's not like he could pull away, even if he wanted to...he had him trapped. Still, a smile formed upon the older male's lips, and he quietly placed his head over Dream's shoulder as he returned the hug. "I'm really happy I met you too, Dream," he said softly, allowing his eyes to fall closed. It was quiet. It was tranquil. It was...peaceful.

...

"What, none for me?"

The voice startled George away from the hug, to which he shot a glare to the youngest of the three. Sapnap. "I thought you weren't coming," he remarked, playfully bitterly.

Sapnap shrugged with a soft chuckle, then shook his head. "I finished what I was doing and got bored without you two," he replied with a soft smile, to which George rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot."

As Sapnap and George spoke, Dream lifted himself from the ground and dusted himself off, putting his toy sword away before reaching a hand out to George and helping him up. "That was kinda gay, though," Dream interrupted, playfully, to which George shot a glare.

"See, this is why I don't get like that with you, especially in public," George hissed, embarrassed, though Dream laughed and shook his head, pocketing his hands. "Hey, you like it, and it's not like we're doing anything bad or around anyone we don't know well," he mused. "The only "downfall" I could see is having to share you with Sapnap."

"And speaking of that-" Sapnap turned to fully face George, then opened his arms out while making grabby hands. He wanted a hug too. "If Dream gets a hug, it's only fair I get a hug too," he said with a pout, to which George grimaced.

"Ew, no-"

Sapnap pouted and moved over to try and pull George into a hug, to which George hissed and tried to shove him away. "Ew, Sapnap, let me go!"

"No! Not until you hug me back!"

"Sapnap, get off!"

"I want a hug!"

"SAPNAP I SWEAR-"

As the eldest and the youngest of the three argued, Dream simply smiled, hands in his pockets, though he soon opened his arms and tugged them both into his arms, absolutely beaming, to which George let out a whine of defeat and sulked.

"Yayyy!" Sapnap cheered, holding George close as Dream held them both.

"Dream, that's not fair," George huffed, though he reluctantly hugged Sapnap back. He couldn't help but smile a little, though. He really cared about these idiots. They were frustrating to deal with sometimes, but at the end of the day, he knew they were good people, and he didn't know where he'd be without them.

Dream said nothing, merely allowing the three to share a hug for a few moments before pulling away with a soft chuckle. "You're adorable," he mused once more, to which George simply narrowed his eyes at him.

"Y'know what, fuck you," George muttered, to which Dream immediately laughed.

"Guys—-"

A familiar voice cut through the team's moment, seriousness in their tone, to which they were all quick to drop their demeanors to listen.

Tommy panted as he finally stopped in front of them, hands on his knees as he took a moment to collect himself, then pointed behind him. "Someone burnt Bad's house down," he choked out, struggling to catch his breath.

_**"What?!"** _

Dream gave Tommy a horrified look, startled still for a moment before shoving himself over and grabbing the young blond male by the shoulders. "If this is a fucking joke- Tommy, if you're lying to us as a prank-"

 **"Dream, it's not a prank!"** Tommy immediately shouted as he shut his eyes closed, trembling. "It's not a fucking prank. We don't know who did it, we don't know what happened. We just saw a growing light, then we saw smoke, and- and- and we ran to it, and we found out someone set his house on fire. I wouldn't fucking joke about this, especially not in regards to Bad."

George and Sapnap were stunned in silence, quickly turning their gaze over to Dream, whose hands trembled as they grabbed onto Tommy's shoulders. Quietly, the tall blond let go of the youngest, then simply began to walk away. Then jog. Then, he began to sprint until he was running as fast as he could. His hands balled into tight fists, his eyes wide with anger as he felt bile form in his throat. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck _fuck fuck fuck fuck!_

Dream stopped in his tracks as he finally got to Bad's house, his hands shaking and eyes wide as he looked over at the house. Tears of anger pricked at his eyes, struggling to hold back the darkness within him.

_Why him? Out of anyone, why Bad? What did he do to deserve this?! Who would do this?! Why would anyone-_

"Dream...?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Best friends being best friends? Yes. Please enjoy this happy, fluffy chapter.  
> Again, though, sorry for the sucky writing dsfkh I'm still getting the hang of everything again.


	3. Engulfed

"Bad..."

Dream felt his heart shatter as he saw Bad.

Big sloppy tears fell down Bad's face as he clutched his hands close to his chest, feeling weak to his knees. Everything he's worked so hard to build, all the memories he had, they were all gone now...everything.

"Dream, they burned my home..." he whispered, his voice breaking from being choked up. He paused, then quickly moved his hands up to cover his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut.

Dream quickly rushed over to pull Bad into his arms, trembling as he buried the older male's head into his chest, not wanting him to have to suffer and watch his house burn. The blond squeezed his eyes shut as he held the male closely, allowing Bad to sob into his shoulder. "Everything we built...everything. It's...it's gone. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he sobbed softly, feeling as though he was to blame for this. As though he'd somehow hurt Dream more than he, himself, was hurting.

"Bad, no-" Dream quickly interrupted, his voice wavering as he buried his face over the top of the male's head. "This is **not** your fault, do **not** blame yourself for this. But I promise you, we'll find who did this, and we'll make them pay," he muttered bitterly, clutching the older male in his arms.

"Dream-"

George was panting as he ran over to the two, though froze when he caught sight of the house engulfed in flames. He felt his heart drop, the bright flames reflecting in the male's glasses. Tommy wasn't lying...

"Bad, I am so sorry...I am so sorry," Tommy spoke, moving over to place a hand on the eldest's back with glossy eyes. He couldn't imagine losing something as small as two music discs...losing your entire house just- He couldn't imagine the kind of pain Bad was feeling.

"Please...d- don't leave me..."

Bad's voice was shaky. Broken. Fear was laced into every sound he made or came out of his mouth.

"We're not leaving you, Bad. Especially not after this," Sapnap said, glancing up at Dream and letting him let go of Bad before reaching over to wipe the male's tears away. He gave him a softened look. "If you want, you can stay with me," he said softly, to which Bad made a little face.

"I couldn't do that to you g-"

"Bad. Please...if you don't want to, you don't have to, but it's really no problem. We're here for you," Sapnap quickly said, moving his hands over to hold his hands. Bad felt his face scrunch up, then quickly moved over to pull Sapnap into his arms, sobbing and whispering a small 'thank you' as he clung onto him. Everyone else stayed around the area, either comforting Bad or simply watching people try to put out what little was left of his place.

There was no full recovery from this...the team knew this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you guys' theory so far lmfao. Enjoy the lack of answer for yet another chapter mWAHAHAHA-


	4. Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit, October 16th, 2020: No BadNap pog :(  
> Got word that Sapnap doesn't want to be shipped with Bad, and I'm respecting his wishes. So sorry. Anything stated before and that will be written ahead is purely platonic.

Bad was silent as he sat on the sofa, his white eyes staring somberly at the ground beneath his feet. Ever since they left the remains of his house, the eldest of the bunch had remained quiet. Twiddling his thumbs, the male let out a quiet breath, sniffling as he reached a hand up to wipe one of his eyes. He wanted to wake up already. He wanted all of this to be nothing more than some kind of fucked up nightmare. Fictional. God, he'd lost everything...all the memories he'd made there with his friends, his resources, his builds...all of it.

"Bad...Bad? Bad, hey-"

Bad flinched once the voice finally cut through his haze, quietly glancing up at the source with a distant gaze. Sapnap...

Sapnap softened as he saw the state his friend was in, then let out a soft breath before sitting down next to him, a glass of water in his hand. He genuinely couldn't imagine the ache Bad had to be feeling. He really, really couldn't. He knew it had to be hard to lose everything you had, but knowing Bad and how attached to people and things he could be, it had to hit him a little harder, and this knowledge broke his heart.

Bad didn't speak, simply giving a little nod of gratitude, his hand reaching over to take ahold of the glass and take a few sips of it, his gaze returning to the floor. Sapnap sighed, moving an arm over to wrap around Bad's shoulder and pull him close, allowing the older male's head to rest over his own shoulder. By now, he'd decided to stop trying to offer words of comfort. The words were empty, useless at the moment...all he could really do was provide physical comfort. Physical touch and care. Even if none of them could help him feel better with their words, it seemed like simply being there for him helped. It helped ease some of the weight off of his shoulders as he processed everything.

Once Bad finished his drink, Sapnap grabbed the glass from him and moved forwards to place the empty glass over the coffee table, then let out a quiet breath before glancing back over at Bad. "It's getting late...we should head to bed," he murmured softly, his gaze soft as he gently rubbed his friend's back. Bad said nothing in response, though he quietly moved a hand over to lightly grasp the male's shirt, then quietly buried his face in Sapnap's shoulder.

"...please stay with me..."

His voice was soft, quiet...as though speaking any louder would cause his voice to break. He felt heavy. His eyes felt heavy, his body felt weak...it felt like gravity was trying to push him down to the ground, suffocating him until he was struggling to catch his breath from the tightness in his chest. He just wanted to lay down, and to lay down for a long time. He needed to find a way to process this. But...how could he get over losing everything?

Sapnap softened once more, then carefully wrapped his arms around Bad and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm not leaving you, Bad. Not now, not ever...not unless you tell me, to my face, to leave. I...I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere," he murmured softly.

Bad felt tears pricking at his eyes again. After all that happened, any amount of physical contact made him break. He really needed the physical part of the comfort. To feel something. To be held, to feel someone's touch, to just...have someone. It reminded him that he wasn't alone. That he hadn't lost **everything**...

He wrapped his arms around Sapnap, burying his face in his shoulder as he let out a soft, shaky breath, closing his eyes. He really needed this.

"C'mon," Sapnap murmured gently, carefully standing up as he kept the shorter of the two in his arms, only letting go once the latter did. He refused to be the one who let go first. Bad deserved to stay in hugs for as long as he needed.

Taking ahold of his hand, Sapnap led Bad to his room, seeing as that's where he was staying for the time being. He refused to leave his side.

It didn't make sense. He still couldn't understand why someone would do this, and to Bad of all people...

"Do you wanna change?" Sapnap quietly asked, giving the male a soft gaze. He was at his beck and call. Whatever Bad needed, Sapnap would be there to provide. Because sure, Bad had lost his home and all of his possessions, but...he still had his friends. And while Bad didn't seem to realize this quite yet, Sapnap planned to stick by and remind him of this until it stuck. Until it clicked. He deserved peace of mind. They could always rebuild the house, grind for materials...anything they needed. They'd help him get through this. They had to...

"I...I just want to lay down."

The taller of the two gave the shorter a little nod, then quietly helped him into bed before climbing in, himself, and opening his arms. Without a single word spoken, Bad quietly curled up into Sapnap's arms, allowing his eyes to fall closed as he let the male hold him. If nothing else...at least he could feel safe here. Here, in Sapnap's arms, with no worries or fears. For now, all he really needed...was this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what everyone's thinking about this so far...hmm.  
> Haha no, but I hope you enjoy this semi-fluffy, semi-angsty chapter.  
> I'm still trying to get the hang of everything (plus developing everyone's character as I go, as well as my writing style), but I hope y'alls enjoy!


	5. Piglet

"They... **what**?"

The young male swallowed back as Techno spoke, knowing the king would be upset by the news. "S- Someone set one of the town's houses ablaze...we don't know who did it. We've asked around, but no one saw anything..."

Techno's grip on the edge of the table tightened, facing away from the villager. This had to be some kind of joke. He'd spent years building this kingdom and making sure no strings were loose. He made sure everything was perfect. Nothing could get past him, especially not some arsonist. Who would burn down one of his houses? And why that one alone and that one specifically?

The king was quiet for a moment, needing to process this information and try to figure out how he'd move forwards from this. If his kingdom was in danger...as much as he liked causing the occasional chaos here and there, he wasn't a sadist. He cared for his kingdom, and he refused to let it go up in flames. To let everything he'd worked so hard for collapse.

"...thank you," Techno murmured softly, his blue eyes glued to the table in front of him. He moved a hand up and waved it a little. "Dismissed."

The villager gave a little bow as they were dismissed, then quickly scurried out, knowing better than to stay around after giving the king any kind of bad news. He was known to have somewhat of a... _temper_.

Techno was silent as he heard the footsteps retreating, not moving from his spot until he finally heard the door open and close. He let out a quiet breath and ran a hand over his face, then shook his head before moving behind his throne and behind the curtain on the wall. A secret passage to his room, for emergency needs...or for whenever he just didn't feel like walking all the way in front of others.

Once in his room, the king let out a quiet breath and sat on his bed, allowing his ears to droop and tusks to show once more.

"The people here know better than to mess with the order and balance of everything...so it couldn't have been a resident," he murmured to himself, his gaze fixated on the floor beneath his feet. He was silent, then quietly let his top half fall over the bed with a soft breath, allowing his eyes to fall closed.

_"Ughhhhhh..."_

Techno ran his hands over his face, then sighed as he let them fall at his sides again before glancing over and into his bedroom. He was quiet, though his blue half-lidded eyes now rested over an object in his room.

Sighing, the pink haired man sat up on his bed, pondering and debating for a moment before finally deciding to push himself out of bed and head over to the object. A black case over one of the chairs in his room. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately lowered himself to sit on his calves as he popped it open, taking what was inside before rising back up. In his hand was his violin. An instrument he'd known how to play since childhood but never really told anyone about. I mean...why would he?

Taking in a soft breath, he placed the instrument on his shoulder and took ahold of the bow, positioning himself before breathing out and allowing his eyes to slip closed. In that moment, he allowed his thoughts to wander away as a soft melody began to fill the room.

**His fingers moved along the fingerboard with practiced grace, transitioning from one chord to the next in fluid motions. The world became nothing more than a memory to him as he moved his hands to the tune of a song he remembered from a past long gone. Techno didn't think, letting the music dictate the way his body moved as he bowed to the beat of the tune. Warmth bloomed in his chest as he played, feeling as though he was floating, as if his worries were melting away, drowned by the sweet sound of the song.** Nothing could break his focus. Nothing, at least, except...

_"How cute...you still play that old thing."_

At the cooing voice, Techno immediately froze, snapping his head around in the direction he thought he heard it come from, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. His eyes were wide, his hands trembled, and he could already feel a pit forming in his stomach.

No...no it couldn't be. It just couldn't...

"Show yourself," he spoke, his voice quiet as he attempted to keep his calm. After a moment of silence, though, he quickly lost it.

" **I said show yourself!** " the king shouted, his voice bellowing through the emptiness of his bedroom. His gaze darted around the room, trying to find the source of the voice, but upon failing to find it, he quickly set his violin back in the case and closed it, his hands resting over the top of it as he trembled, eyes wide.

_Pull yourself together, Techno. You're just hearing things. There's no way he's back. He'd have no reason to come back. After all these years? What would he have to gain? And why now?_

With a shaky exhale, Techno straightened his back, then shook his head before walking over to his bed and sitting down, allowing his eyes to fall closed. Maybe he just needed some rest...that's all. He'd been working harder than usual lately, so maybe this was just his exhaustion taking over.

...but the chance to rest never came.

A hand moved around from behind the male, immediately covering the king's mouth and tugging him back, to which Techno's eyes shot wide open as he quickly tried to pull it away, shaking as he saw a familiar face peek over with a twisted grin. He could feel a blade lightly pressed against his neck.

_"You really thought you could escape me, huh?"_

The man let out a low chuckle, shaking his head before moving over to whisper in Techno's ear.

"I've missed you... _my little piglet_ ," the man whispered with a coo, and with a quick jerk of the hand —-

**_"Wait!"_ **

. . .

_**Credit for that paragraph to Hiraenthine!! They wrote the violin playing part out and I just tweaked it a little._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret absolutely nothing.


	6. Okay

**_"WAIT!!"_ **

Shooting up from bed, Techno woke up in a sweat, his body shaking and all color flushed from his face. He moved a shaky hand up to lightly hover over his neck, trembling as he stared into the emptiness of his room. Tears prickled at his eyes.

_It was just a nightmare. He can't be here. He couldn't be. It'd make no sense...._

The king harshly swallowed back, then let out soft, shaky breath, letting his shoulders relax as he closed his eyes and let his head loll forwards. God, when did he even fall asleep...? He couldn't remember...the transition was too clean. Did he actually play his violin? Did someone's house actually burn down? He couldn't really tell what was the nightmare and what had actually happened...

_Fuck..._

Techno moved his hands up to wipe at his eyes, then quietly glanced down at his trembling hands, silent. He could feel his heart thudding against his chest. It'd been a while since he'd had a nightmare about...

Techno faltered, then shook his head, dismissing the thoughts swirling around his head as he got up and made his way to his dressing table, placing his hands over it as he quietly looked at himself in the mirror.

He just hoped it was all a nightmare. That it was nothing more than a _dream_...

. . .

— Back at Sapnap's place —

Sapnap let out a soft noise as he shifted in bed, cuddling Bad closely as he allowed himself to continue sleeping. However, it didn't take long for him to realize it was morning, and because of this, he let out a little whine. He didn't want to wake up. He paused, though, upon opening his eyes and being met with a view of Bad sleeping. The younger male's gaze softened, and he felt his heart rate slow. He looked so...peaceful.

Carefully, the male moved a hand over to gently hover over the older male's face, though he faltered and pulled away as he lightly bit his lip. He didn't want to wake Bad up, and he didn't want to end up caught...so he stayed as he was. He stayed in bed, just...admiring the sleeping male. It was nice to see his friend so peaceful, especially after everything that had happened. He deserved some peace of mind, even if he wasn't conscious to enjoy it. A faint smile crept up on the male's face, unable to resist it. He faltered, however, when he heard the older of the two let out a little noise.

Bad scrunched his face up a little as he began to stir, shifting some before moving a hand up to rub his eyes as he let out a little yawn. "Mh..."

Sapnap smiled at that, chuckling some. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he murmured softly, his voice slightly lower from having just woken up. He hadn't bothered to sit up yet...Bad hadn't either.

Bad quietly glanced over at Sapnap with a tired gaze, though upon seeing the male's little smile, he was unable to help but give a soft, tired one in return. "G'morning, Sappy," he murmured soft, his voice soft and quiet. Like Sapnap, he hadn't even tried to get out of bed, simply looking over at the latter.

"You sleep alright?" Sapnap asked, keeping the arm that was wrapped around Bad as it was. It was comfortable there.

"Mm...I slept okay," Bad quietly responded, yawning once more before closing his eyes and curling up in Sapnap's chest. "I'on wanna get up..." he then admitted, barely putting any effort into speaking. He just wanted to stay here, at least for now. He liked being held. He...he **needed** to be held.

Sapnap chuckled once more at Bad's demeanor, though he gladly kept him close as he closed his eyes and buried his face over the male's head, in his hair. "Guess we're on the same boat, then," he murmured softly, letting out a soft, relaxed breath. He loved spending time with Bad. He really, really did...

Ah, well, that peacefulness didn't last long, as a sudden loud roar of thunder crashed through the house, causing the two men to immediately shoot up with wide eyes. Was Bad clinging to Sapnap? Oh, absolutely.

"What was—-"

"GEORGE YOU IDIOT-"

"DON'T BLAME ME, YOU WERE IN MY WAY!"

"YOU PROBABLY WOKE THEM UP!"

"OH, **I** WOKE THEM UP?! YOU'RE THE ONE BUTTING INTO MY SPACE-"

"YOU IDIOT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE-"

"SHHH KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN!"

Sapnap faltered when he recognized the voices, then rolled his eyes and shook his head with a soft chuckle. Ah. His idiots were here. He quietly rubbed Bad's back as he looked over at his door, a fond smile on his face. "Seems like Dream and George have a surprise for us," he lightly mused. Bad huffed a little at that, though.

"Shh- We can't let them know that we know," Bad remarked, almost childishly, which just made Sapnap grin a little. Ah, his demeanor amused him.

"Well, we don't actually know what the surprise **is**. Only that they have one," the younger male responded, chuckling and shaking his head. "We should probably get up now, though. No use in staying in bed after that."

Bad let out a soft, defeated whine, though he nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he murmured, moving his arms away from Sapnap and rubbing his eyes before quietly reaching over to the bedside table to grab his glasses and put them on. Sapnap quietly got out of bed and stretched with a little groan, though he suddenly yelped and jumped back as he felt something poke him. "Bad!"

  
  
"Boop!" Bad said with a giggle, grinning up at Sapnap. "I saw your tummy."

"Tch-" Sapnap felt his cheeks heat up at that, giving an embarrassed smile as he sheepishly looked away. "Just get up, you muffinhead."

"Mkay," Bad tiredly but gladly agreed, stretching with a soft noise before getting up from bed and going over to grab some clean clothes to change into.

. . .

"Dream, you're a mess," George grumbled as he moved a hand up to wipe Dream's face with a damp towel, to which Dream merely snorted and moved back.

"No, you're the mess," the tallest of them mused with a little snicker, a light grin on his face.

"Dream, come on- We have to look presentable, at the very least," George complained, trying once more to wipe the flour off Dream's face, faltering when he felt him grab his hand to stop him. He was quiet, merely watching the taller male's movements with slightly narrowed eyes.

Dream kept a light hold on George's hand, looking down at him, then quietly lowered it and took the towel from his hand before raising his free hand up to gently cup his friend's cheek, which made George pause. Dream offered a gentle smile, though, and George softened, quietly moving a hand up to rest over Dream's as he quietly nuzzled his cheek into his hand.

"You're an idiot," George murmured softly, allowing his eyes to fall closed as he eased into Dream's touch. He always felt at ease with him. At least, of course, when he wasn't being chased by his maniacal laughing self during the hunts.

The tall blond let out a soft chuckle, carefully holding George's cheek as he gently, lovingly ran his thumb over it, his gaze soft. "I know," he gently responded, then quietly lowered his hand, only to move over and pull George into a tight hug. George faltered a little at the gesture, though, knowing they weren't in public, he was at ease, and he quietly wrapped his arms around Dream as he stayed close to him.

"I love you, Dream," the brunette murmured quietly, his voice soft and quiet. Meek, even. Dream couldn't help but smile some at that, though, feeling warmth bloom from within his chest. He loved hearing George say it.

"I love you too, George," he responded, his voice quiet as he buried his face atop the male's head, simply enjoying the moment between them. That is, at least, until they heard a creak, to which George quickly pulled away.

"Who's there-"

"Damn."

Sapnap let out a little chuckle, turning around and walking back into the kitchen with Bad. "It's just us. And before you get angry with me, we literally just came in, saw you two, and were just turning around to give you guys space," he notified with a little smile. George, however, crossed his arms with a raised eyebrow.

"And since when do you not try to sabotage me? I would've thought you'd shove yourself between us to try and get me to hug you or something," the shortest responded, to which Sapnap sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

"Yeah, well, I...figured I'd leave you two alone this time, maybe spend some more time with Bad," Sapnap remarked, shaking his head.

Bad turned his head to look over at Sapnap, then gave a little closed eye smile. "Aw, that's sweet of you!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sweet," Sapnap murmured, shaking his head, though he smiled a little. "So anyways-" ~~Smooth.~~ "Why are you two covered in flour?" he mused, lightly smiling to the blond. Dream snickered a little.

"George and I were-"

"Wait- Let me show them instead," George quickly interrupted, though gently, then shuffled over to the counter to grab a plate before shuffling over to the two with a little smile. "We...know it's been hard lately, so we wanted to do something nice and make you guys breakfast," he said with a soft look.

Bad faltered when he saw George walk over, then softened upon seeing the chocolate pancakes. "Awh...that's- That's really sweet of you guys," he said softly, quietly taking the plate from the latter and looking down at it. A faint smile formed on his face, and he quietly looked over at Sapnap. "Look, it's got a smiley face," he said softly, noticing the whipped cream over the pancake. Sapnap smiled a little at that, then raised an eyebrow over at Dream.

"Gonna guess that was your idea?"

"Well of **course** it was my idea. Who else's would it be?" Dream playfully huffed, though he couldn't help but let out a soft, low chuckle as he shook his head. "Plus, I thought it'd be cute, 'n Bad deserves to get a smile out of it," he added, glancing over at the eldest of them. Bad felt his cheeks heat up a little, quietly staring down at the plate before setting it down on the nearby counter and carefully pulling everyone into a hug, hiding his face.

"Thank you, guys," he murmured quietly, grateful to have people as caring as them in his life. He didn't know what he'd do without them. Well...he'd probably be homeless and alone and starving, but still. It felt nice to have so much support around him. To have people so willing and ready to take him in at a moment's notice, to cook for him, to comfort him...hell, to even let him sleep on the same bed as them. They all meant the world to him.

"We'd do anything for you, Bad," Dream murmured softly, wrapping his arms around everyone as he pulled them closely.

"Absolutely anything," Sapnap murmured, allowing his eyes to fall closed as they all shared in the loving embrace.

Maybe...just maybe...

...things would be okay.


	7. Rumors

It'd been a few days since Bad's house burned. Ever since the fire, things had started to feel...off, not just for the group, but in general.

"I just can't shake the feeling off that something's wrong..."

George let out a soft breath, quietly looking down at his hands as he sat around with his friends. The team thought it'd be a nice idea to go outside, maybe have a picnic, but George couldn't help but feel some unease. About what, he didn't know, but he couldn't shake the feeling off...and it seemed like the rest couldn't either.

"I mean...crops don't just suddenly start to spoil, nor do they spoil overnight. Things don't just randomly disappear, either," George murmured, sighing as he quietly leaned onto Dream and allowed his eyes to close.

Dream softened as George spoke, then quietly moved over to wrap an arm around him, lightly rubbing his arm. He was quiet, as were the others, which made George grow a little uncomfortable.

"I- I don't mean to ruin the mood or anything, it's just...I dunno, guys."

"No, no, I- I feel it too, George- It's just-" Dream paused, then let out a soft breath as he let go of the older male, solely because he didn't want to instinctively pull him closer when he knew George wasn't comfortable with public affection. He shook his head. "I...I feel it too..."

Bad faltered when Dream spoke, his gaze softening as he reached over to put a hand on Dream's shoulder. "Nightmares...?" he asked, his voice soft and quiet. Gentle. Careful.

Dream simply gave a little nod, glancing down to his hands as he twiddled his thumbs some. "Creepy ones, more so than scary...as if something's trying to tell me something. Cryptic messages, empty plains with overgrown and dried out grass...it feels like I'm in a horror movie," he admitted, his voice quiet. God, he hated the nightmares he got...

Sapnap sighed and shook his head. "Honestly, I...I wouldn't doubt it if this is Technoblade. I mean- Doesn't he like to do shit like this every so often?"

"Language," Bad huffed quietly.

"Sorry..." Sapnap murmured, lightly biting his lip. "But like I was saying, I...doesn't he like to cause chaos every now and then? Didn't he suddenly decide to disallow and even ban selling potatoes because he wanted to be the only one planting and selling them?"

"And there are those villagers who come out looking terrified after they talk to him. Not to mention the fights he's caused or simply watched happen," George quietly added.

"Come on, guys, we can't judge him so quickly or put the blame on him. We don't know that he's the one behind all this. I mean sure we don't know a lot about him, and he could be hiding this too, but...I really don't think it's fair to assume he did all of this just because he isn't very public about everything," Bad said, frowning a little as he pushed his glasses up.

The masked man was quiet for a moment, though soon stood up and spoke.

"...how about I go find out?"

— Later —

As Dream walked into the king's palace, he kept his gaze focused ahead, allowing the guards to guide him inside and over to the throne room. His blond hair bounced ever so slightly with each step he took, and his face remained the same as always: covered by his smiling mask. This was it. His official first time meeting The King himself.

Sitting on his throne with his eyes closed, Techno let out a soft breath. He wasn't wearing his royal mantle this time, and one could tell he was exhausted.

"Speak," he spoke, too tired to bother being proper. He didn't mean to sound blunt or uncaring, he was just...not in a good place.

"Hello, uh..." the male before him started. "My name's Dream. I'm here to discuss some matters about...about the town." He didn't want this to sound like an accusation, so he made sure to be careful with how he phrased his words.

The king moved his head up to look at the male. Through the fringes that hid most of his face, he could clearly see that they were cautious, albeit having a cool, composed form.

"...ever since my friend's, Bad's, house was burned down, other things have been happening. Things that no one can really...explain. So I thought that I could talk to you, just to see if you knew about what's happening," he explained, looking at the other.He wasn't just going to confront him or accuse him of anything. If he tried, Techno could probably immediately have his head. It wasn't worth the risk, so he went with the safer route.

"At least, just...something to give the villages some peace of mind?" He had to be careful. One wrong word or move, and he didn't doubt Techno would have his head or throw him in a dungeon or something. Techno had that power, and Dream wasn't about to fuck with him until he could see whether there was reason to be suspicious of him or not.

"Bad...?" Techno paused, then shook his head, sitting up straight before giving the blond a little nod. "Ah, yes, him. I heard about his house. I'm sorry about that." And...he genuinely was. "I was planning on going to the site today or tomorrow to clear the area for rebuilding," he notified Dream, deciding to focus on one of the only things he really had a solution for at the moment.

"Well- Thank you for that, really. But...the people are worried. Is there something, anything, that I could tell them? To, y'know, help ease their minds? A mass panic isn't something I want, and I'm sure you don't want that either."

The king looked over at the blond, then quietly looked away. The truth was, he wasn’t sure of what this was himself.

That...and he was denying the only possible explanation for what these events were caused by.

With a quiet breath, the king waved a hand to dismiss the guards, figuring it'd be better to talk in private. Or, at least, somewhere other than his throne room. Truth be told, he hated the throne room. It felt stuffy and stiff. It felt unlike him.

"Follow me."

Dream fell silent as he watched the guards leave, feeling himself grow a little suspicious. He pondered on the possibility that this was a trap, but decided to follow the king regardless, knowing he could fend for himself if needed. And so, once the king stood up and began to walk, Dream followed along. Silence followed them as well.

Once at the door, and after walking in, Techno closed the door behind them and breathed out, shaking his head as he lightly massaged his temples.

"I'll...I'll be honest with you, Dream. So far, I...don't really have an answer. But I'm not an idiot. I know the people are suspicious of me."

Ah...well, Techno **was** the king after all, so it made sense he'd found out about that. However, Dream faltered, noticing the king's state. From his throne, he couldn't really get a good look at him...but from here, just a few feet away and level to him, he could tell the man was exhausted. Had he slept at all...?

The masked man was quiet, though he soon found himself speaking up once more after a moment of thought.

"Y'know, I...I don't actually think this is you. I mean- My friends were concerned about the possibility of it being you, but now I...don't really think I have reason to believe you're behind all of this."

The king stopped the movement of his hands, his ears twitching some, then glanced over at Dream with a raised eyebrow. "Oh...?" Was this a ruse?

"And what's managed to sway your thoughts?"

Dream pursed his lips, hesitant to even suggest the possibility of what it could be. But, well...it fit, didn't it?

"I remember a rumor...from when I was really young. Now, I always thought it was just that: a rumor. But...thinking about it now, the patterns seem somewhat fitting to what I used to hear. I mean- Things going missing? Burning houses? Crop loss?"

As the blond spoke, the king found himself growing incredibly tense, his eyes widening.

"Call me crazy, but maybe...maybe it's-"

Before he had a chance to speak, the king launched himself at the latter, shoving him against the wall and slapping his hands over the man's mouth with a sharp hiss of silence.

**"Do Not Speak His Name."**

Dream grunted when he felt his back thud against the wall, feeling his heart pounding against his chest as he gave the king a wide eyed look from behind his mask. His cheeks flushed a soft red color, furrowing his eyebrows some. Dream kept holding his forearms up a little, unsure where to put his hands, but he could feel just how tense the king was.

_Does...does he know about...?_

"What are you-" His voice was muffled, but the king immediately cuts him off, silencing him once more.

_"Swear to me."_

The king's voice was low...menacing and serious. Dream was silent as he gazed over at the man, whose face was barely inches away from his own. The one thing between them was his own mask. He gulped as he let him speak, though his gaze couldn't help but wander along his face, taking in his scarred features. A thought came to him as he noticed those details.

_Has he...? Could- could it be?_

"Nod for me. Nod if you swear you won't speak his name."

. . .

He didn't really have any other choice. He wanted to know more of what was going on, and seeing as this was his only chance to be this room with the king himself, he agreed, giving the other a little nod.

Letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, Techno slowly moved his hands down, his demeanor and gaze softening as he eyed Dream. His hands now rested on the male's shoulders, swallowing back as well as he looked over at the masked man.

There was something about him. Something _different._

It felt like he could trust this man. For now, at least.

Dream was silent as he looked at Techno, then opened his mouth to speak, only to falter when the king stepped back a little and held his head.

"Hey- Are you okay?"

"I'm...I'm fine, I'm fine. I just..."

Techno let out a soft breath, lightly shaking his head as he let his eyes fall closed.

"...things will be taken care of. I...I can handle it."

"Are you sure? Cause you look pretty tired. I mean- I'm sure you have people who do stuff for you, but-"

"No, no, I'm fine- I'm- I'm fine. No need to worry, I'm fine. I have stuff to do anyways..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Thank you to Mystif_Fox/Carrie for helping me write this chapter!!)
> 
> They finally meet.


	8. Hidden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy heavy inspo from some writing Carrie wrote to me!! Thank you, Carrie!!

— Later —

Breathing out, Techno silently eyed himself in the mirror, his gaze blank and eyes half-lidded. He'd be out today...so the ears and tusks had to go. He closed his eyes, taking a breath in and holding it for a moment before exhaling as he allowed the features to shift away. Those pesky floppy ears ears became pointed and perky, and his underbite and tusks reversed into a more "normal" mouth. More presentable. He allowed his eyes to open once more, then turned on his heels as he began to head out, dismissing the guards who tried to follow him. He wanted to be alone today.

And that's what he did.

He didn't wear his usual royalty clothes this time. Instead, he had a simple white shirt on, some gray pants and a red ribbon tied around his waist. It was comfortable. Plus, they were easier to clean if they got dirty, which they likely would.

As the king walked around the village, he greeted whoever decided to greet him first, not really bothering to interact with them. He didn't care for talking to them right now. He just needed to clear his mind from the previous night.

It wasn't long, though, until he found the house that had burned, which caused him to stop in his tracks. Damn...

He shook his head. He had to get this rebuilt. As much of a jackass as he could be, he had his duties, and he did care about his kingdom. About the village. To a certain extent, anyways.

The king moved himself inside the house and began to dig around the remains. Maybe something could tell him who did this, or maybe there was something salvageable. Maybe something could confirm that...this wasn't who he thought it was. The more he looked around, though, the more clear it became that...this hadn't been an accident. It hadn't been random, either. This had been planned. Whether it was a general plan or an attack on this specific person was unclear, but...someone wanted this house to burn. Was this a message to that person? A call of war? Or perhaps a way to gain Techno's attention...? Well, whatever the intent, it worked...and that frustrated the king.

Stumbling upon a pile of collapsed wood, Techno let out a soft breath, moving down to try and clear the area a little. Digging through the rubble, he suddenly found himself tensing as he saw a hand emerge from under it and tightly grip his wrist, to which he let out a loud yell and yanked himself out before stumbling and falling back. Startled, the king scrambled backwards, his shoulders rising and falling as he took heavy breaths, his eyes wide.

_What the **fuck** was that? _

"Hey, is everything alright?!" a voice called, followed by approaching footsteps. From the collapsed doorway, a young blond boy emerged, and he paused upon noticing the pink haired man on the floor. And...ears. Those were not...normal ears.

Techno immediately tensed when he heard the voice, forcing a quick shift as he moved his hands up to cover his ears as he lowered his head with quiet breaths. "I'm fine. I just got caught in something and tripped," he stated calmly, able to keep his voice calm despite the light scare.

"What was that...?" the young boy asked as he watched Techno stand and dismissively wave a hand.

Techno kept his eyes closed, brushing off the question. "As I said, I just got caught in something and-"

"No no no, not that-"

Curious, the boy swiftly moved over and reached over to grab and tug at the king's ear, unaware of the mistake he'd be making by doing so.

Instantly, a hand jerked over and took ahold of Tommy's wrist, causing Tommy to jump from surprise. "Do **not**...touch me," Techno growled in a low and quiet voice, giving the young boy a warning look.

"Jeez, you're real grumpy today, big man- Someone wake you up too early again?" he questioned, squirming as he tried to get out of the man's hold.

_"Did no one ever teach you...not to touch other people's faces?"_

Tommy faltered, feeling a chill run down his spine. "H- Hey, just let me go, man-"

The boy then winced, feeling the king only tighten his grip on his wrist, feeling a light panic starting to set in.

"U- Uh, that's...that's the opposite of-" Tommy let out a little noise. "Y- You're, um- You're hurting me-"

The boy's voice quivered from fear. He'd never seen this side to the king. Sure he'd seen him annoyed, tired, bored...but he'd never seen him this furious. And not just that, but there was an unsettling feeling around him that _really_ didn't sit well with him. Something almost... _inhuman_.

The king stayed as he was for a moment, silent as he stared down at the boy with burning crimson-colored eyes. After a few moments, though, he finally released him, then let out a quiet breath as he stepped back and lightly rubbed his temples.

Tommy quickly stumbled back as he was finally released, letting out a strangled noise as he rubbed his wrist.

"Jeez, I didn't think you'd be so touchy about some stupid fucking ears. You act like you're trying to hide shit."

Techno scoffed as he shook his head, staring blankly at the rubble where he'd been "grabbed". "I'm not **hiding** _anything."_

"Well I sure as hell saw something when I got here, and you sure seem defensive abo-"

The young boy quickly fell silent as a realization hit him. A memory or something he'd heard. He hesitated for a moment, but soon found himself speaking up, though his voice remained quiet.

"...you've got piggie ears, don't you?"

Upon hearing that word, the king tensed, and he immediately turned on his heels. Before Tommy could even blink, he was grabbed and slammed against one of the barely standing walls, which caused him to wince and panic.

_"Where did you hear that?"_

Tommy felt his heart thudding against his chest, his eyes wide as he squirmed in the man's grasp even more, trying to get him to let him go. To get out of this death grip.

"Could you stop grabbing me?!" he shouted, only to flinch as Techno suddenly spoke.

**_"Where did you hear that?!"_ **

" **A RUMOR**!" Tommy quickly blurted out, tears welling in his eyes as he looked at the king in fear. His form shook from the fear he felt, unable to brush off the unease he felt.

_"I...I heard it in a fucking rumor..."_

The king fell silent once more, hesitant to let Tommy go. If word got out about this...he could be done for. God, a fucking rumor? He'd shown no one his form. **No one**. No one could know about this. He'd...he'd have to kill anyone who did. He couldn't risk having his kingdom collapse over some stupid ears. Over what his form truly was. But...he couldn't just kill a kid. He really couldn't.

So after some thinking, he finally spoke again, his voice quiet. Soft.

_"Swear."_

"S- Swear? Swear to what?"

"Swear to me that this gets out to **no one**. Tell, and I promise you, Tommy...you won't be heard from again."

Those words caused a chill to run down Tommy's spine. Usually he wouldn't care for threats, as they were usually empty, but...somehow, he could tell that the king really meant it. If he said anything about it...he could be killed. For real. And with Techno's status...he could easily manipulate the crowds and make them think whatever he wanted them to think. He...he didn't want to die.

"I...I swear, Techno. I swear on my life that I will keep this quiet."

At that, the king finally seemed to ease up, then let out a soft breath as he released the boy once and for all. He turned on his heels to face away from him, quietly moving the tips of his fingers up to his mouth, feeling some aching in his teeth. He needed to swallow all that back. It was hard to hold back when he was feeling any strong emotion...it took more energy out of him to keep forcing it down. He quietly sat down on the ground, staring blankly at the debris in front of him.

Tommy hesitated to stick around, but he could tell that this was a touchy subject for him...maybe he just needed someone right now. So, in an attempt to show some empathy and show that he meant no harm, he quietly sat down next to the pink haired king, staring in the same direction as him.

"...so it's true?" he quietly asked, wanting to try and help him, if he could.

Techno didn't speak, but he responded with a small nod, unable to look at the young boy.

"...well- Why choose to hide it?"

Techno scoffed as he kept his gaze on the rubble and debris in front of him. "Do you really think anyone would take me seriously like that? That they'd respect someone who...who looks like that? Who looks different?"

Tommy quietly looked at his feet as he rested his palms on the floor behind him, leaning on his hands as he wiggled his feet a little. He was quiet, then shrugged some. "I mean...the people respect you now, don't they? Why would anyone give a shit if you looked like a pig?"

Techno shot a little glare at the blond child, to which Tommy faltered and lightly bit his lip, quickly looking away. "S...sorry."

The king let out a quiet breath, then returned his gaze ahead, only speaking after a short moment of silence.

"They know me as I look now. For the most part, I'm able to appear..."normal"." He sighed. "But you've never been royalty, Tommy...much less a king. You're held to the highest regards. You're expected to look respectable. Normal. No one would respect a king if they didn't look or act commendable at all times. They wouldn't respect or listen to someone if they looked... _deformed_..."

"Well...you don't know that, now do you?" Tommy remarked. Techno shook his head, allowing his gaze to fall down as his arms rested over his knees.

"Trust me, Tommy..."

_"...you don't know what it's like to be king."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm. I wonder what's going on?


	9. Alone

It was cold and dark.

His eyes fluttered open as he finally began to stir, but instead of seeing the ceiling, he saw the sky, albeit mostly covered by the treetops.

Wait...how did he get here?

The young boy stood up, rubbing his tired eyes and brushing off the dirt from his tattered clothes. His steady heartbeat started to get louder and quicker as he looked around, hoping to spot a way out.

His feet moved by his will, searching for something, anything that could help him. As he did, he tried to remember what had happened.

...but he couldn't recall anything.

How he got here, how he was alone...

...where were his parents? His guardians?

Did he even have parents? Anyone to care for him?

He had nothing in his possession, either. No food, no water...

He could die out here.

He could die out here and no one would know.

In his wandering quest to find help, he lost his footing and fell with a little yelp, and in that moment, the tears he'd been trying to hold back since he woke up began to steam down his face. His small form was shaking, letting out soft, hopeless sobs as he sat up and curled into himself, face buried into his hands.

He didn't want to die. The thought of it made him scared. It terrified him. He wanted so desperately to get back to civilization. To be back home, safe and sound...if he ever had one, that is.

But in his moment of anguish and fear, he realized that his cry for help had been heard.

"What's wrong?"

The voice startled the young child, who sniffled and wiped his face as he looked around for the source.

"Who...who's there?" he asked, his voice soft yet wavering. Fear laced in the tone.

Everything was quiet, except for the light rustling of leaves from the light breeze that picked up. He sniffled and hiccuped, tears continuing to fall as he continued to look for the source of the voice. Upon not getting a response, he spoke again.

"Who's there?" he asked again, wondering if the voice was real or not. Part of him hoped it was...maybe if it was, he would either be rescued or put out of this misery, instead of wandering about and dying all alone after so much suffering.

"You seem lost, young one," the voice spoke again.

"...and scared."

The voice's tone was quiet, eerie, yet...strangely comforting.

The young boy fell silent at that, quietly hugging his knees as he looked down, tears welling in his eyes once more. He didn't respond.

This was it, wasn't it?

He knew he couldn't fight back if something happened. He was hungry, he was tired.

Emotionally and physically exhausted.

He'd die out here.

All alone.

"P- Please...I don't wanna die," he murmured weakly, harshly wiping at his eyes with another sniffle.

"Oh, there's no need to worry about that," the voice responded. Feeling a sudden chill run up and down his body, the boy squeezed his eyes shut as he tightly held himself, knees pressed against his chest. However, he quickly tensed up upon feeling a hand rest on his shoulder, snapping his head up to look at the source, freezing at the sight. It was a man, standing over him with a warm smile.

The man, keeping a hand on the boy's shoulder, held his free hand out for him.

"Come with me," he spoke once again.

_"I'll help you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Thank you to Carrie for helping me with this chapter!! Most of this was written by them, with some edits and additions and stuff by myself.


	10. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early release chap! From now on, chaps will be released every Friday/Saturday. Hopefully this gives me time to have backups and go ahead and stuff.  
> The reason for the earliness of this is because my discord server mostly voted for today as opposed to tomorrow, so yeah!

"You must be cold...here," the tall man spoke, taking his coat off and placing it around the young boy, who let out a little sniffle as he quietly pulled it closely against himself. He stared down at the floor for a moment, hesitant, but letting himself speak.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice quiet as he quietly reached up to wipe his tears away. God, he felt so terrified. The man was somewhat comforting right now, but...maybe he wouldn't die. Maybe he'd be okay.

"I'm going to take you back to my place...you're probably starving," the man spoke, lowering himself to sit on his calves as he put his hands on the boy's shoulders, his gaze soft, yet...strangely unreadable. "Is that okay with you?"

The boy's ears twitched a little at the contact, swallowing back before giving a little nod. "Y...yes, sir," he murmured quietly, looking down at his feet. Despite being a kid, he knew this could easily be a trap. He could end up kidnapped and murdered, or worse. He wasn't an idiot. But...honestly? He'd rather that than to die all alone in the middle of what seemed to be the woods.

"Here...you must be tired. Let me carry you," the man spoke, holding his arms out a little to see if the boy was okay with it, then carefully picked him up and let him rest over his shoulder. Once the boy was comfortable, he began to walk to his cabin with a little hum.

The humming seemingly helped soothe the boy some as he carefully held onto the man, his breathing soft as his eyes fell closed. You could hear the soft crunching of leaves with each step taken, the moon being their only real source of light.

The boy shivered, feeling cold again, though soon calmed down as the man gently rubbed his back in an attempt to keep him warm. His grip tightened some. For some reason, he felt...safe. Maybe it was the lack of care he'd gotten...maybe it was purely out of the need for human touch as a child. Regardless, he didn't really understand it...but he let it happen. He was tired. He was cold. He was hungry, thirsty and just wanted to be cared for...he didn't want to be scared or alone. And this man, despite being a stranger...seemed trustworthy.

. . .

Rubbing his eyes as he began to stir, the young child quietly sat up from the bed, looking around with tired eyes. It was light outside now. How tired had he been...?

"Oh, you're awake-"

Hearing the voice, the boy immediately tensed and gripped the blankets, quickly looking around for the source. Upon seeing the man who'd rescued him, he eased up some, his gaze soft.

The man was seated on a chair in the corner of the room, seemingly having been reading a book. He chuckled a little and gave the kid a smile.

"You've been asleep a while. Come on...I made breakfast," he said, closing the book before standing up, setting the book on the chair and walking over to the boy, who hesitated, his ears lightly twitching as the man approached. He didn't speak, which made the man stop in his tracks. Ah...

"I'm not gonna hurt you."

He pondered on what to say for a moment.

"Come, you must be hungry. I made breakfast."

The boy faltered at the mention of breakfast, then quietly wrapped his arms around his stomach as he felt it bite and growl. He was starving...

The man simply smiled, then reached a hand out to help him out of bed and lead him into the kitchen. Once there, the man grabbed the plate of food he'd made for the boy, then sat down in the chair after the one next to him, wanting to give him some space.

At first, the young boy was hesitant. He had this feeling that...maybe he shouldn't eat this. This could be a trap. But his hunger overpowered that fear, and so he sat down and began to eat. Within moments, he was chowing down everything on his plate, clearly malnourished and hungry.

The man smiled a little, then paused upon coming to a realization.

"Where are my manners? I never asked...what's your name, young one?" he asked, curiously tilting his head to the side as he eyed the young boy.

The boy was quiet for a moment at the question, having genuinely forgotten that names existed. He took a moment, but soon spoke up upon remembering his name.

"...Technoblade, huh?"

The boy nodded, and the man chuckled a little.

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"What's your name?" Techno asked, glancing over at the tall man with a soft look, his ears lightly twitching as he chewed on the food in his mouth.

The man stayed quiet for a moment, though his lips soon curled into a little grin as he looked over at the young boy.

How cute.

_"My na m eis . . ."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruh I really hope y'alls enjoyed this lmfao. It was terrible, but that ending? *chef's kiss* Mwah. Thank you, Carrie, for encouraging this lovely ending.


	11. Tired

It'd been a little while since Dream had gone to check on Bad's house. He'd offered help here and there, but for the most part, his time had been spent making sure his friend was okay and keeping him company, as well as comforting him when needed. He deserved all the support he could get.

With a soft breath, the blond moved his head up to glance up at the house, smiling a little when he noticed the progress. There was still an awful lot to do, but he knew Techno was a good king. He was very meticulous about his kingdom and how it ran, so he didn't doubt it'd be done soon enough. Speaking of the king, though...

"Oh- Techno," Dream said, making his way over to the man with a soft smile on his face. He'd been meaning to check up on him, but hadn't found the time to do so.

Standing in front of the construction site with his arms crossed over his chest, the king's pink hair was tied into a tall ponytail, his blue eyes keeping a careful watch of the workers and their job. Supervising and making sure things were running smoothly, it seemed. Hearing his name, though, he curiously raised an eyebrow and glanced over to the source, his face bored and showing some tiredness.

"Ah, it's you..."

"Seems like everything's going well," Dream commented, to which Techno simply offered a little nod as he glanced back at the site, then untangled an arm from his chest to rest his fingers over his forehead as his eyes fell shut.

"Had a few hiccups here and there, but it should be done soon enough. And, once again, my apologies for what happened to your...friend," he murmured softly.

Dream noticed the tiredness in his voice, but he didn't comment on it just yet. Maybe he was just stressed. "Hey, it's no worries. It's sad he lost all his stuff, but we can always grind for it again. Plus, he has us," he said with a little chuckle. Techno just responded with a little 'hm', which caused Dream to furrow his eyebrows some.

"How long have you been out here?" he questioned. Techno faltered a little, then glanced over at Dream, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Just a few hours, why?"

"And how long have you been awake?"

"...what are you getting at?"

Evading. Dream sighed and shook his head, moving his hands out of the pockets of his hoodie as he looked over at the king.

"It seems like every time I see you, you're exhausted," the masked male spoke up, walking near the king. "And the last time we spoke, you could barely stand on your own two feet."

Techno dismissively waved a hand at Dream's claim.

"You don't need to concern yourself with my wellbeing. I'm _fine_. I have my duties, and I plan on doing them."

"You can afford a break, y'know."

"No, I ca-" Techno paused, then shook his head. "I take plenty of breaks."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah, of course."

...absolutely not. He was lying through his teeth. But why would he tell anyone that?

Dream crossed his arms at that, raising an eyebrow at the king, who huffed and made a face before looking away, crossing his own arms tightly over his chest once again.

"...maybe not as many as I usually do. However!" He quickly spun around to face Dream, holding a finger up in the air with a frown. "It's still none of your business or concern."

"Yeah, but-"

"You, on the other hand," he muttered, taking a step towards the masked man as he lowered his pointed finger to point at Dream. "Why are you here?"

"You know why, Techno," Dream remarked with a little frown.

"Yes, I do. So merely because I sound tired, that doesn't mean I'm unaware of what's going on."

As Techno spoke, he eyed the other for a moment, silently wondering what sort of view would he see without that mask. It was curious that Dream was never seen without it. What could he be hiding? Was it just a stylistic choice? A desire for anonymity? Insecurities? Ah, his thoughts were wandering again...

"Regardless. Why are you more concerned for me than for your friend, hm?" Techno asked, raising an eyebrow at the latter.

"I- I'm not. I mean- I'm concerned about both of you. I can do that, can't I? Plus, Bad is with my friends. We're all supporting him as much as we can. I just don't want you to have to stress yourself out for something like this."

"It's as I said, Dream. I'm fine," the king spoke, his scarred face looking right at the eyes of the mask. He noticed some strands of his dirty blond hair fluttered with the smallest feeling of wind. Through the mask he wore, he noticed the scar showing on his face peeking just over his jaw. Curious...it seemed to match his own.

It was strange, seeing someone this close up. Usually he'd be locked in his palace, on his farm, or...really, anywhere away from others. Essentially lurking in the shadows. As ironic as it was with him being a king, he wasn't a very social person. He only really had one person he often spoke to for things that weren't related to his royal duties, and yet...he found himself talking to Dream with ease. It felt nice.

"Well that's bullshit and you know it," Dream murmured with a soft chuckle, though he softened a little. "I won't fight, okay? Just...take care of yourself. Your kingdom needs you," he mused softly, to which Techno just gave a soft chuckle in response, quietly looking down at his hands as he intertwined them with one another, gently stroking his thumb with his other.

"Can't promise anything..."

Hearing that, Dream let out a soft breath, though he paused before giving the man a little smile from behind his mask. "Hey, I got an idea. How about you come over for lunch? My friends and I were gonna get together for lunch in a little bit...why don't you come tag along?" he said, curiously glancing over at the latter, who faltered and glanced around before pointing at himself. Dream snickered, nodding. "Yeah, you."

Techno was quiet for a moment, then moved a hand up to lightly rub the back of his neck. _"Ahhhhhhhh..."_

"You don't have to come if you don't want to, but our door is open to you, alright? Plus, it'll be fun. You'd finally be out of that stuffy palace for a while," Dream said, not wanting to pressure Techno, but wanting to encourage a break. He knew he worked hard, which was obvious from his voice and the way he looked alone. A break would do him good.

"I...I dunno, Dream."

"Just think about it, okay? And if you decide you wanna come, just come. We'll be waiting for you," Dream quickly remarked, offering the king a little smile. Techno just offered a little nod, then moved his hands up to rub at his eyes before sighing.

"I'll...I'll think about it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates should come out every Friday/Saturday between 12PM and 2PM EST! Just thought I'd let you guys know. But yeah, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And no, I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger 🖤


	12. Author's Update ;w;

Hi hi hi, Raccoon here!! So sorry for the lack of updates...I promise I am working on new chapters!! The next chapter's just very long, and I've been struggling a lot with my will to continue this fic. As motivated and passionate as I am about it, TechnoDream isn't a very liked and popular thing in the community, and there tends to be a lot of controversy and hatred towards shippers and whatnot, and it's really killed my vibes and mood...been struggling with that for a while now.

I am genuinely so so sorry that this isn't an update, but I promise a new chapter will be out soon. If not Friday/Saturday, then Wednesday. I always try my best to get them out Fridays/Saturdays, but if I miss it and stuff, I always aim for Wednesday.

I'm just struggling a lot with conflicted feelings, like whether it's worth it to continue this, whether people actually enjoy it or not, whether I'm genuinely being disrespectful or not...a lot of things. It's a struggle between that, some writer's block and me just generally being bad at writing and bad at managing time :')

But again, so sorry for no updates this entire month so far...a new chapter is in the process of being written, and some future chapters (they're not going to be out too soon or anytime soon, bc there's still a lot to do before those chapters, but still) have already been written or have some writing done, so hopefully this won't be so muddled...

I still need to figure out what I want to do after chapter 12, but I doubt it'll be too hard considering what I'm going to end chapter 12 on. It should be open enough to know what route to take and stuff. I also need to work out the timeline and clean it up and just dfskjh writing's hard, man. But yeah, so so sorry again --

TL;DR: Been struggling with stuff, but a new chapter should be out soon, so sorry for the delay and lack of updates.

**Edit 11/20/20:**

Thank you all for your supportive comments ;w;

I'm working on the next chapter and hopefully it'll be finished by Saturday, and if not, Wendesday for sure. I'm so close to finishing it, I just need to add some things here and there and do a final review, as well as figure out which route I wanna take by the ending of the chapter.

Also!! I try my best to update at 12 PM EST whenever I update, but if I don't hit it, I try to aim for 2 PM EST. If I don't release an update by then, the chapter will either be posted on the next Wednesday or by next Friday/Saturday.

So all updates are either on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and always at 12 PM or 2 PM EST.

I am also absolutely loving everyone's theories. I will not say whether people have gotten close or not, by my oh my are all of them very good. I love hearing people's theories. It helps me know whether my ambiguousness/hints/etc are being picked up or not, and also possibly inspiring new things and ideas and characters.

**Edit 11/22/20:**

By the way, I have a Discord server for this fanfic! If you wish to get the link for it, DM me on Instagram! I'm @/raccoondoobles.


	13. Hunted

Breathing out, Techno quietly stared down at the basket in his hands, squirming a little on his feet as he stood at the entrance of the house. His pink hair was tied back into a high ponytail, and his blue eyes cautiously eyed the basket in his hands. He wasn't very fond of socializing, much less staying over at someone's house for lunch, but, well...maybe it'd be fun. Fun? Gods, when was the last time he genuinely had fun...?

Reaching a hand up, the king moved to knock, hesitating for a split second before forcing himself to knock, knowing better than to wait until he talked himself out of it. Once he did, he returned his free hand back down to grasp at the handle of the basket, nervously biting his lip. It was ironic, but he was absolutely terrible at socializing. He either didn't know what to say, would come off as cold, said the wrong thing, didn't say something...he just didn't do well in those situations. At least, not unless he was extremely used to or comfortable with you.

Hearing the door, Dream lifted his head and curiously looked over. "I'll get it," he said, his blond locks bouncing with each movement he made as he walked over to the front door and pulled it open. Seeing the king there, the masked man paused, then gave a little smile before chuckling. "You actually came," he said, to which Techno offered a small, awkward smile.

"Yeah, I, uh- I did. And I...I bought some stuff," Techno said, lifting the basket before handing it to Dream, who lit up as he gladly took it into his hands.

"Awesome!" he chimed, gesturing the male inside before closing the door behind him and making his way back into the kitchen. Was he digging through the basket already? He was. Techno silently followed along, staring down at his feet as he did so, then looked around once in the other room. He paused, taking note of the other men in the room...and then it clicked.

"Oh, um-"

Reaching into his bag, he pulled something out and made his way over to one of the shortest of the bunch, the man with the red shirt and glasses, then handed it over to him, to which the male glanced over and curiously looked at the object in his hand.

"Here."

"What's this?" Bad curiously asked, taking it into his hand. It had brown paper wrapped around it. He was quiet as he unwrapped it, then paused as he finally saw what it was.

"I found it while checking out the...the remains. The original frame was pretty damaged, but the picture itself was...actually very much intact," Techno said softly, lightly rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced over at George and Sapnap, then back down at the framed picture. "I...figured you'd wanna keep it, so I took it and replaced the frame with a better one. I hope you don't mind."

"That's...actually really nice of you, Technoblade. Thank you," Bad said, glancing up and giving the male a soft smile. He genuinely appreciated the gesture.

"Wow. The king actually did something nice, huh?" Sapnap mused with a chuckle, leaning his hip against the edge of the countertop. Glancing over, Techno raised an eyebrow at Sapnap, who faltered and began to sweat.

"I meant that as a joke-" the words blurted out his mouth, a nervous chuckle following. The others laughed at the change of tone, Techno himself chuckling a little. He knew he was joking, he just thought it'd be funny to jokingly give him a look of disapproval.

As the group grew more rowdy and playful, poking fun at Sapnap for getting nervous as Sapnap yelled at them, Techno glanced over at the door in silence. He was starting to regret having come here. I mean, what was the point? He didn't serve a purpose here. At least in his palace, he had things to do and work on. His purpose was to keep his kingdom balanced, to tend to his farm, to hear the public, and work with their needs and such. Here, well...what was he to do? Talk? About what? It'd just be a mix of awkwardness and a genuine lack of need for him to be in the space. He wasn't needed here. He had no value or purpose.

Adjusting his bag, he motioned to the exit, thinking that he should leave the group be. "I think I'll be taking my leave now. But **thank you** for letting me in your home and inviting me over. It's- It's been nice," he said, already a few steps towards the door. The sooner he left, the better. "I'll be--"

"Hey- Hey, wait!"

Someone reached over and grabbed his wrist, holding him in place, to which Techno faltered and snapped his head back, his pink hair spinning and bouncing with the quick movement. He quickly looked over at the person, at Dream, and he gave him a confused look.

"Did you need something?"

The king could see a smile form right under the mask that the other wore, and some anxiety begin to pool within him.

"Don't go just yet. We were just about to have lunch!" Dream said, offering the other a smile as he carefully let go. Techno blinked as he watched the man release his wrist, then fell silent as he stared at him. Or, rather, stared at the mask.

Hesitation bubbled from within him, though gave an awkward smile as he averted his gaze. "I'd love to stay, I really would, but you guys seem fine without me." He moved his hands up, lightly waving them. "I wouldn't wanna intrude on that."

"Intrude? Techno, would I invite you if I thought you'd be intruding? If any of us thought you'd be intruding?" Dream asked with a raise of an eyebrow, then shook his head with a soft chuckle, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, feeling some warmth crawl onto his cheeks as he looked off to the side. "Plus, it's nice to have different people over. Don't get me wrong-" He moved a hand out from his pocket to gesture at the others. "I love these idiots, but...it's also nice to get to talk to people you don't usually talk to. Plus, how many people can say they've had lunch with royalty outside their palace?" the blond mused with a snicker, his green eyes silently watching the king, wanting to see his response.

A soft chuckle emitted from the king at that, finding himself able to convince himself that it'd be okay. I mean- They wanted him here, right? So while he felt as though he didn't have a purpose here, maybe it'd be better than going back home just to tend to his farm or deal with anything personal. Maybe he could escape.

"That **is** true," he said as he eased up, then nodded as he raised and lowered his hands, as though to gesture them to settle down, or that he'd given in. "Alright, alright, I'll stay...but the food better be good, alright? That's my only condition," he mused, offering a soft smile. An attempt to joke around.

"Well of **course** it's gonna be good! We all pitched in! Just don't eat what George made-" Sapnap said, grunting as George suddenly shoved him with a loud noise of complaint.

"Hey, I worked hard on that!"

"Well it's chewy and burnt," Sapnap teased, obviously not meaning it, and playfully jabbing his elbow at the shorter male, who glared at him.

"Well, at least I actually know how to **make** something. That is, make something **other** than a mess," George remarked, to which Sapnap straightened his back and placed a hand over his chest, feigning feeling hurt.

"Me? Messy?"

"You **are** a little messy, Sapnap..." Bad quietly said, though, of course, mainly just playfully. While he was being honest, he wasn't upset or anything. Just partaking in the playful banter the men shared.

Looking over at the group, then over at Dream again, Techno raised an eyebrow. "Are they always like that?" he quietly asked, which made Dream laugh a little as he shook his head.

"Yeah, they are. But hey, c'mon! Lunch is done, so why don't you sit at the table while we get everything?" Dream said with a little grin.

— A little while later —

Sitting at the table, Technoblade was silent, his gaze shifting around the room as he fumbled with his hands. He was stiff and uncomfortable once again. He had to consistently remind himself that he was wanted here. That they'd invited him for a reason. And yet, despite this...he couldn't help but feel out of place.

They were good friends; that much was obvious. But it was obvious in a way that reminded the king of how alone he was. How isolated he was in his kingdom. Normally this wouldn't bother him, especially since he didn't deal well in social situations and preferred being alone in the first place, but...the feeling of loneliness began to loom over him and settle on his chest.

They were laughing, retelling stories they shared, remembering the times they've spent together...it reminded Techno that he didn't really have someone like that in his life. Really, there was only one person he could potentially call a friend. Only one person who knew about him more than anyone else. One person that he trusted with his very life. But even then, they didn't speak often. Not anymore...

He felt cold. Lightly gripping his knees, the king lowered his head, feeling a weight settle upon his shoulders. A pair of hands. A looming presence behind him.

_This is your burden. By isolating yourself from everyone, you've missed out on the chance to have this. You wanted to live like this. You didn't think friends mattered. You didn't care for forming bonds or relationships. What makes you think you're deserving of it now? What makes you think anyone would care enough to be your friend? You're pathetic. You shouldn't have left._

...maybe he was right. Maybe he should've stayed. Despite everything that happened, everything he put him through...maybe...

"Hey, Techno- ...Technoblade?"

"Techno!"

Hearing his name, the king quickly snapped out of his trance and shot his gaze up, looking over at Dream and Bad. He could feel his heart thudding against his chest, struggling to focus himself again. He hadn't gotten like this in a long time...the thoughts, the anxiety, the voices...fuck. The voices...

"Yes?" the king quietly responded. As haywire as his head was at the moment, he always managed to convey exactly what he wanted to convey. Even if he was upset, anxious or anything of the sort, he could easily present himself as calm and composed. Years of training followed by being a king had taught him that.

Despite Techno's attempt to seem fine, Dream could sense his discomfort. He could tell that he wasn't exactly okay. He didn't want to pry, so he didn't, but a thought did come to mind. A smile formed on his face, and he rose to his feet. "Maybe being inside all cramped up wasn't the best idea. But I got a better one."

The pink haired man curiously raised an eyebrow, then faltered as he saw the smiles that formed on everyone's faces, followed by the exchanging of glances and Sapnap shuffling out of the room.

"I...have a bad feeling about this-" he said with a nervous smile, glancing over at the door. "Maybe I should go-"

"Don't be such a wuss," Dream playfully said, reaching over to pull Techno off of his feet and drag him outside with the others, making the king yelp as he stumbled behind him. Dream let out a little laugh, his blond locks bouncing with every step he took. Now bathed in the light chill of the outside air, the blond let go of the king's wrist and spun around, facing the man with a little smile on his face.

"What- What are we doing?" the king nervously asked, cautiously watching as Sapnap walked over with a bag. Dropping it on the ground, the youngest of them opened the bag up and began to hand out the contents to those around. Fake swords...?

"It's called a manhunt," George explained as he took his sword, grinning as he swung it a little. It seemed a little beaten up, patched up a few times, but otherwise sturdy. It'd definitely been used an awful lot, or, at least, had seen better days.

"The goal of it is to catch me and "stab" me," Dream said with a smile, grabbing a sword from Sapnap and looking down at it. In one swift motion, he spun it around and pointed it at Technoblade, his green eyes carefully watching the male. "Whoever can catch me and manages to do that, wins," he added, handing the sword over to the king, who silently took it into his hand and silently stared at it.

"But if Dream manages to stab you first, you can't move for as long as he says," the black-haired male added, nodding as he rose to his feet and flicked his gaze up to look at the king. He chuckled. "Don't be surprised if you get stabbed a lot, though. Even when we try to ambush him, he always manages to get us before we can get him. He's not allowed to make you stop for more than two minutes, though."

"Yeah, he's a little muffin," Bad added with a little huff, though he was unable to help the smile that formed on his face as well. "You should play, though. It'll be fun."

"Four against one, let's go!" George cheered, feeling confident they'd win if they had Techno on their side.

The king was quiet for a moment, then silently moved his sword up to lightly prod Dream's stomach, making the male grin the biggest, stupidest smile that ever formed on his face. "Just like that, but you gotta catch me first," he chimed, which caused the king to falter.

"Wait wh-"

Before he could finish, Dream lightly punched his shoulder before booking it, laughing as he ran away from the group. Seeing as he was completely lost, Techno tensed as he gripped the sword in his hand, shouting out a loud "h- hey!" before proceeding to chase the blond, leaving the others behind.

The king kept his gaze locked on the latter, akin to a predator hunting its prey. It was as though instinct had kicked in, his heart rate picking up with every step he took. Dream had baited him, and the king fell for it, taunted as the blond slid out of reach every time he thought he could grab him.

"Get back here!" the king shouted, falling deeper and deeper into the game without even realizing. His grip on the sword was tight, refusing to give Dream a chance to breathe. The game of hunter versus hunted, of predator versus prey, had quickly become engrained in the king's head. And the taunting, the teasing, didn't help.

"I thought you were the best in all the land!" Dream called with a laugh, reaching up as he ran to grab ahold of a branch and swing himself across a ravine, grunting and rolling as he made contact with the ground, then turning to look behind him with a grin and a determined look.

"If you want me, then come and get me!"

Seeing Dream jump across a ravine and taunt him, Technoblade growled, though he didn't hesitate to follow suit, kicking himself up with nothing more than his heel and landing on the other side with a grunt. The only thing on his mind was his catch, though he could feel the bloodlust began to swell inside him, his eyes glowing a crimson shade. He wouldn't get away from him that easily.

Despite all the twists and turns Dream made him go through, Techno used his senses to keep track of him at all times. He could run all he wanted, but he could never hide. He could never escape. Even if he managed to get out of the king's sight, he was only human. He would always make one wrong move. Let out one small breath. Just one sound or movement that would give him away.

With a heavy huff, the king rose to his feet again, his shoulders rising and falling as he looked around. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to hone in on his hearing. He may not have been able to see him anymore, but...

He could hear the soft rustling of leaves as they danced with the wind.

He could hear the water trickling from a nearby river.

The soft buzzing of busy bees in a hive.

The bleat of a sheep as it ate.

...the sudden loud rustle of leaves from above him.

Sharply turning on his heels, Techno raised his sword and blocked Dream's attack, grunting as he was pushed back and dug his heels into the ground beneath them. If the rule was he'd be frozen with his touch, then he had to ensure he reached him first.

A wide smile crept onto the masked man's face as he kept a tight grip on his sword, staring straight into the king's blue eyes as he pushed his sword against Techno's.

"Hiding will do you no good," Techno quietly growled, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the male, who simply smirked in response.

Pushing Dream back, the king made sure to block all attacks against himself. Only if he saw an opening would he try to tag him. Desperation, however, got the best of him...and during an attempt to tag Dream, he was quickly blocked. Beaming, Dream quickly used his advantage to swiftly knock the sword out of Techno's hand, then prodded his shoulder with the tip of his own, a grin on his face.

"Two minutes."

Narrowing his eyes, Techno remained still, able to acknowledge the rules. Though even as Dream ran and jumped out of view, this wasn't the end. Oh, no no no...he knew he could catch up with ease and hunt him down. It was only a matter of being able to touch him before being touched. A matter of touching him when they'd both be focusing on avoiding just that.

Two minutes.

A minute thirty.

A minute ten.

45 seconds.

10 seconds...

When the counter finalized, Techno immediately began to run, his ears twitching as he focused his energy on tracking where the man had been. Although he didn't know where exactly the man had gone, he could use his senses to track him. That and basic logic, of course.

Searching for him felt endless, but Techno never got restless. No one could ever hide from him, whether they wanted to or not.

Whether he wanted them to hide or not.

...

Panting as he ran into the dark oak forest, Dream allowed himself to take a moment to rest and catch his breath. Hands on his knees, he let out a soft, breathless chuckle, shaking his head as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked around, and, as expected, no one was around.

"I'd like to see him try to catch me now," he mused to himself, a smile on his face as his shoulders rose and fell with each breath he took. He'd win this, he knew. All he had to do was evade them for thirty minutes, and time was ticking. Time was almost up. He'd win this, he knew. That was, at least, until he heard the rustling of leaves from above him, which caused him to spin around.

"Wait-"

The male was tackled before he was able to react, earning a loud yell from him as he fell on his back and grunted. He made a quick attempt to stand, only to freeze as he spotted the sword aimed at his throat.

A light smirk curled onto the king's lips as he stared right into Dream's green eyes, his crimson eyes full of pride and shoulders rising and falling with every breath he took.

"You wanted to see me catch you, did you not?" Techno cooed, chuckling as he allowed the tip of his sword to come into contact with Dream's jaw, slowly trailing it down until he reached his chest, his smirk only growing as he lowered himself. With his hand on the hilt, he lightly pressed the tip into Dream's chest, then moved his head right next to the blond's. Chuckling, he spoke.

"I win," he cooed, grinning before rising to his feet once again. Sheathing his sword, he extended a hand out to help the other male up.

Dream was frozen in place. He could hear his heart loudly thudding against his chest, his arms trembling as he was barely able to keep his torso up by the elbows. His eyes were wide, simply staring up at the man above him. He didn't take his hand, still struggling to process what had just happened. This made Technoblade raise an eyebrow, confused.

"You're red," he commented, seemingly confused.

Dream blinked at that, then huffed and shook his head before reaching up to grab his wrist and lift himself to his feet. He didn't look at Techno.

_Yeah, no shit, Captain Obvious._

"You caught me off-guard, that's all."

Techno was quiet, his face blank, but soon offered a soft smile.

"Well, hey, um...thank you," he murmured softly, quietly moving his now-loose hair over one of his shoulders, his head lightly tilted to the side. "It was fun."

Glancing over at the latter, the blond's features softened. He'd never actually taken the time to look at him. The soft rosiness of his cheeks, the slightly pointed ears...the way his blue eyes twinkled despite the man's naturally expressionless demeanor and gaze. He took notice of just how pink his hair actually was, just how long it was...there was something almost soothing to him. He felt drawn to him. A feeling that told him that...maybe there was more to the king than he originally thought. That maybe...just maybe...they weren't all that different.

_...heh._

"...it really was fun, Technoblade."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry once again for the delay and lack of update this entire month...I know this chapter is sucky, the writing and fluidity could be better- A lot could be better done. But I hope this was good enough for now ;w;


	14. :)

Tired...

That's all that Techno could feel. Staring blankly into the mirror, he was able to see the red and black hue surrounding his body. The bloodlust in his eyes, the being he'd had to deal with for so long...

He was exhausted. All this emotional turmoil wasn't good for him, especially since he was already terrible at taking care of himself. He already barely got enough sleep, always ran away from his problems, refused to deal with anything up-front...this just made things harder.

"You can't keep doing that."

...silence.

It never spoke, but Techno knew what it wanted to say. What it was thinking. It'd resided within him for so long that it didn't need to communicate to be understood.

The king's skin crawled, feeling a weight settle upon his shoulders. A feeling of hands. He didn't move. He didn't react.

"It was meant to be a game. A time to have fun. The intent wasn't to actually hunt him down...much less kill him. He could've caught us. He could've spotted you."

A heavy silence filled the room. Pink strands fell over Techno's face as he stared at his own crimson eyes which glowed a burning red hue. He couldn't risk anyone finding out. He couldn't risk putting anyone in danger. Whispers began to echo in his ears, causing him to tense as he stared into his eyes with a heavy frown. His ears and lip twitched, shaking his head.

"I haven't let my guard down. Maybe it was stupid to go out, but it was just an evening. Besides, there's no way that he's back. I—"

A pang suddenly coursed throughout the lanky man's body, causing him to let out a whimper before collapsing over his desk, his eyes fallen shut as he took slow and heavy breaths. Tears prickled at his eyes, the feeling of exhaustion suffocating him as he weakly dug his nails into his desk, trembling as he tried to fight back his inner turmoil.

**⍑ᒷ'ᓭ ʖᔑᓵꖌ ᔑリ↸ ||𝙹⚍ ꖌリ𝙹∴ ╎ℸ ̣ , ℸ ̣ ᒷᓵ⍑リ𝙹ʖꖎᔑ↸ᒷ. リ𝙹 ᔑᒲ𝙹⚍リℸ ̣𝙹⎓ ⎓ᔑ∷ᒲ╎リ⊣, ⎓⚍リ 𝙹∷ ᓭꖎᒷᒷ!¡ ╎ᓭ ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ᓵ⍑ᔑリ⊣ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣⎓ᔑᓵℸ ̣. ||𝙹⚍ ᓵᔑリリ𝙹ℸ ̣ᔑꖎꖎ𝙹∴ ||𝙹⚍∷ᓭᒷꖎ⎓ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ʖᒷᓵ𝙹ᒲᒷ ∴ᒷᔑꖌ. ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ꖎᒷℸ ̣||𝙹⚍∷ ⊣⚍ᔑ∷↸ ↸𝙹∴リ. ||𝙹⚍ ᒲ⚍ᓭℸ ̣!¡∷ᒷ!¡ᔑ∷ᒷ. ||𝙹⚍ ᒲ⚍ᓭℸ ̣∷ᒷᔑ↸|| ||𝙹⚍∷ᓭᒷꖎ⎓. ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ╎ᓭ 𝙹リꖎ|| ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ʖᒷ⊣╎リリ╎リ⊣.**

He covered his ears, refusing to listen.

"There's no chance of that happening. Absolutely none. There's no reason for it," he hissed, sharply standing up and causing the chair beneath him to collapse behind him. Raising his gaze once more, he glared at himself in the mirror, only to freeze upon hearing a knock at his door. Almost immediately, the hue around him vanished along with his features. Running his hands through his hair as he tilted his head back, he let out a soft, shaky breath, allowing himself a moment to collect himself before walking over and opening the door. He raised an eyebrow. "May I help you...?"

At his door stood a young man with a tanned complexion. He had short, dark, messy hair and a pair of mismatched eyes. One was almost an amber color, while the other was a light green. He held a look of concern, lowering the hand that he had so readily held up.

"Are you okay...?"

"...I'm fine," Techno said, dismissively waving a hand.

"Are you sure?"

Techno simply gave a little nod, staring down at the shorter of the two. The brunette didn't believe him, but he knew better than to push him. He never told him anything anyways, so he never bothered anymore.

"What did you need, Tapple?" Techno questioned the young man, who seemed lost until he suddenly remembered.

"Right-"

He held up the item in his hand once more. A letter. "I was told to take it directly to you," he said, handing it over to the king, who took it into his hand with a look of confusion.

"By who?"

"He didn't say. I did ask! I asked, but he just said "he'll know once he reads it"."

Well that helped an awful lot. Still, the male sighed and took the letter opener from Tapple's hand and sliced it open.

. . .

_Hey, Techno._

_Thanks for coming over yesterday. I know things didn't start off so great, but I hope the manhunt was as fun for you as it was for me. It was great getting to spend time with you._

_I thought kings were supposed to be stuffy and annoying, but it's clear that you don't mess around. You're almost as good as me! I let you win, though. I thought I'd go easy on you since you'd never done a manhunt before...but after seeing what you're like, I'm not giving you that same advantage. No mercy!_

_We definitely gotta do this again sometime. It'll be fun!_

_Hope you're doing alright. And get some sleep soon, okay? Don't need you passing out on anyone._

_I'm gonna kick your ass next time!_

_Take care :)_

. . .

The king was silent for a moment, blankly staring down at the parchment in his hand. As he carefully ran his fingertips over it, Tapple lowered himself to get a better look at the man's face. A grin formed on his face.

"So you **do** know who it is, huh?"

"H- What-"

Techno quickly snapped out of his trance, lowering the letter as he frowned and looked at the latter. "What are you talking about?"

Tapple beamed, "You were smiling."

Technoblade faltered, feeling his cheeks lightly burn. "I wasn't smiling...I was thinking."

"You definitely were," Tapple teased with a grin.

Techno fell silent at that, simply staring the shorter male down with half-lidded eyes. There was an almost unsettling feeling that began to surround the brunette, but he didn't budge. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest with an amused look.

"You forget I've worked here since the start, Techno. That oogly-boogly voodoo you do to try and scare people doesn't work on me."

The king raised an eyebrow.

"...anymore. It doesn't work on me... ** _anymore_**."

Techno couldn't help but chuckle a little at that, shaking his head as he looked down at the male. As much as he refused to admit it, he genuinely enjoyed Tapple's company. He'd been here since basically the start of his kingdom, back when only a few dozens of people lived here. He was determined. Although loud and sometimes clumsy and irritating, he was a genuinely good person, and someone Techno enjoyed having around. Someone who always tried to bring the mood up or get you to laugh, no matter what was going on at the moment. Despite not showing emotions much, there was always something Tapple did that managed to get him to crack even the tiniest of smiles. His energy was nice to have around, even if it often clashed with his more quiet, introverted self.

Softening, the male allowed his eyes to fall closed as he moved a hand up, his body refusing to let him go long without reminding him of his exhaustion. Tapple faltered when he saw this, the concern returning as he moved over to rest his hands on the king's shoulders.

"You should rest," he murmured softly, taking the letter from the taller of the two. "You need it."

...

Maybe he did. It was pointless to stay up, wasn't it? There was no use fighting it. Reluctantly, and what seemed to be for the first time ever, he gave in and he nodded as he looked over at the shorter male. He couldn't keep fighting this.

"...okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another lowkey sucky chapter but dsfkhj still getting into the swing of things. Never written a full story like this before so fluidity and storytelling are absolute shit dsfkjh so my apologies for that. But I hope y'alls enjoy it!! Techno is finally getting some rest, as per basically requested lmfao.  
> Also, Tapple pog!! And I'm aware his name is TapL, but it's easier to write it as Tapple, so that's how he'll be referred to in anything I write with him. I know there's really no real way he fits into Techno stuff, but idk I wanted to incorporate him into the story, and working for Techno seemed like a good fit for him.


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